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Hi all,

I think I've given you everything you need to offer some pointers about my team. This is only my 7th or 8th team, so I am still a rookie, I guess. I thought I had learned something about constructing my team and my park, management, etc. I drafted a team that has a mix of LH and RH hitters, has good speed, some power, good pitching, and great defense up the middle. My park is Camden Yards. I'm hitting a lot of HRs, making a lot of DPs, and stealing a lot of bases. And my team era seems to be pretty good, while whip is probably high-average, just my guess.

But I'm 20-25, about the same start as all my other seasons. I seem to get players who have good OBP in MLB, but poor OBP for me. I also have at least two big-time strikeout hitters in in Frazier and Van Slyke, both major sources of my power.

I am hoping some of you can offer some advice as to what I might be able to do to improve my team or strategy. Hitter and pitcher strategy and team preferences are areas where I'm just feeling my way, and don't have a real sense that I'm doing even a decent job in those areas.

I have thick skin, so lease be candid!
All the best,
Ed

Offense is tilted too far to the left (unless you're facing a ridiculous amount of lefty SP's)
You don't need SIX $2.00 relievers. No way to get them all enough innings

I agree with Steve...offense slanted too much v lefties, when you typically face RHPs 2/3 of the time. Plus, you're in Camden yards which heavily favors lefties anyway.

The only lefty power threat you have is LaRoche. Maybe someone like Harper could still be available? Or Weiters? Maybe swap Braun out as well?

While Escobar and Kinsler are fantastic on D, I think they're overpriced given their offensive abilities. Any better hitting 2's available at 2b or SS?

You also don't need so many RPs over $1M...I'd suggest no more than 3, with sub-$1M hard righty and lefty. This should free up some cash too.

The good news is you're out scoring your opponents...and you do have room for improvement as well.

wahlerpc wrote:http://365.strat-o-matic.com/team/1420083
http://365.strat-o-matic.com/team/hitterprefs
http://365.strat-o-matic.com/team/bullpen
http://365.strat-o-matic.com/team/strategy
http://365.strat-o-matic.com/team/frontoffice

Hi all,

I think I've given you everything you need to offer some pointers about my team. This is only my 7th or 8th team, so I am still a rookie, I guess. I thought I had learned something about constructing my team and my park, management, etc. I drafted a team that has a mix of LH and RH hitters, has good speed, some power, good pitching, and great defense up the middle. My park is Camden Yards. I'm hitting a lot of HRs, making a lot of DPs, and stealing a lot of bases. And my team era seems to be pretty good, while whip is probably high-average, just my guess.

But I'm 20-25, about the same start as all my other seasons. I seem to get players who have good OBP in MLB, but poor OBP for me. I also have at least two big-time strikeout hitters in in Frazier and Van Slyke, both major sources of my power.

I am hoping some of you can offer some advice as to what I might be able to do to improve my team or strategy. Hitter and pitcher strategy and team preferences are areas where I'm just feeling my way, and don't have a real sense that I'm doing even a decent job in those areas.

I have thick skin, so lease be candid!
All the best,
Ed

You are in Camden Yards so you want to maximize BP homerun chances for Lefties. players like Van Slyke and Braun are a bad fit. The main problem isn't preferences it is how you spent your payroll. Not enough left handed ball park power and too much idle payroll on the bench and in the bullpen.

The points above are good. The only thing I might quibble with is that I'm not sure I would tinker with your middle infield. Yes, those guys are probably overpriced but your starting pitching is pretty mediocre and it does not really fit your park. So 1s up the middle could be saving you at this point.

As noted above you need to fit your team to the park. Camden Yards is a 1-9 1-9 singles, 1-18 (lefty) 1-10 power. So 1-8 is average in those categories. There are five BP singles on pitcher's and batter's cards (out of 108 on each), and from 0-8 BP hr on batter's and pitcher's cards. When those numbers come a 20 sided die is rolled and 1-9 gets you a single if a BP single comes and 1-18 a hr if a left-handed gets a BP chance and a 1-10 is a hr if a righty comes. So Camden is somewhat neutral with regard to baserunners with above-average power to rh and extreme power to lefties.

So in developing your team you should be looking to get left-handed power. A lot of left-handed power. There are guys who have 3-4 non-BP hr in their card who get 6-7 BP hr and they turn into monsters in Camden. A lot of those guys are probably gone because left-handed power is scarce but a guy like Harper (noted above) tends to be available. With regard to your pitchers you want to avoid guys who give up power, particularly to lefties. I am a bit shocked that you have only given up 38 hrs in that park with that pitching staff. But maybe not. There just isn't that much left-handed power around. Your guys have pretty much average WHIP and you're up the middle defense is cutting down on baserunners. That's a pretty low ERA for Camden.

As for relief...Strat does not do relief very realistically. It's that simple. Keep Storen, get a couple of 3-4 million studs and et place the rest with some .5 guys or maybe .7 or .&--doesn't matter that much. You need one of the to be an R2 though. Three really good guys (close to 4 million though I think Storen is a bargain at 3) tend to be very effective.

Not thrilled with that expensive catcher platoon either. I would getting getting a good power catcher and a very cheap back-up. I like Gattis in a power park

Problem is that you are past 40 games so it costs 10 percent so you are going to lose a lot of money making wholesale changes. So you'll have to be selective about making changes

Good luck.

For one thing you are in a division with some other very experienced owners who know how to put teams together--so it will be a challenge even of you got it completely right to start with.

I have 3 years/60 teams or so, and my frustration was high for my 1st 4 dozen teams. Only in the last 6 months or so have I been at ease with my teams.

First some minor points, just from my point of view---

You don't need Sogard at all. (though its just .69m) Kinsler can only get hurt the remainder of the game, so who cares if an out of position guy has to finish a game. Same for the .71 Starter--get a .5 guy, save the .21--- the 4* starters are all over 200 innings, so will never miss a start (3 games max injury)-- (an * starter that is 199 innings can get hurt for 15)

The 1 2B, and SS do have low OB pct, but I got to the finals with the exact same combo and Van Slyke, (but a completely different park--a rh power park and lh avg park--Wrigley)--and I went with the pair so I could have no subs. Van Slyke was a sub after a missed draft pick.

http://365.strat-o-matic.com/team/1407406

I don't like to carry 25 players, unless I have a lot of Platoons or a need to cover high injury guys---you get more bang for your $ with 24---add a couple of .5 guys that don't play much and you have 79M for 22 players.

The money on relievers is OK to me ---just spent money on one to many--I don't care for Otero myself--An R2 that Lefties hit too hard for the dollar spent--and too much money for a RH specialist--the exception being if you are in a division with heavy RH lineups.

I would drop Otero and catcher Montero and go for Vogt if he is available--he and McCann are a good combo in that park.

Some guys you might look at and could be available:

Duda, Reddick, Saunders, Kiermaeir, Avila, Grandal, Harper, Moss, Arcia, E. Chavez, J Francisco, Brandon Belt.

All good points posted. One thing I would add. You got 5 * starters which is good but are you maximizing your good 3 day starters? Leake should only be starting if one of the other 4 are not performing or you are facing a team who can't hit RH pitching. If you are lucky to get 4 * starters I go with a starter reliever as my 5th so I can use him in the bull pen for mop up duties if necessary and to save a roster spot . Also I agree you're spending way too much on your bullpen. You can get away with 1 each 9R/ 9L specialists for .5 and get that super stud reliever who is an R2 and use him in every situation and keep your chosen closer. I like Storen too he filled both roles for me depending on the team and I had a lot of luck with Pedro Strop as my super reliever getting 130+ innings out of him with low whip and era in multiple parks.

There are very few good hitting SS so if you don’t get one always go with a 1 range at SS and save some runs but you don’t necessarily need to spend 6M to get it. 100% agree on Kinsler and Escobar they are not getting hurt for more than the rest of the game use a combo SS/ 2b with good D as your reserve. You can always find a good glove no stick guy for less than 800K . Platoons are tricky but you should plan on spending more on the guy who hits VS RH because he will get 70% of the AB and you can generally find cheap hitters who hit LH pitching. I never have luck with high priced catchers so I go a little cheap there depending on the rest of my roster with the focus on stopping other teams running on me. As for my bench if you have guys who are not going to get hurt or get PH for then go cheap, maybe have some speed on the bench to PR in close games. If you have injury guys who you want to start then you spend on a better bench who can also take your DH spot if necessary.

Agree with a lot of the advice and your team does look good on paper, good balance, SB's, HR potential. My own preference in a park like Camden and two 18 HR parks in your division and all teams in your division with mostly RH pitchers is...
1. Need more switch and lefty hitters that hit righties.
a. Forces the other teams in your division to start adding some lefties because you are now scoring 8 runs a game against them.
b. Some of your best fielders are underachieving at the plate, especially OBP ( 2b, ss, 3b ) and while they will get better, they are righties and your ballpark will hold them back.
c. Don't pick up any player or pitcher over 7 million dollars.
2. Sooner or later, your staff is going to give up a lot more than 1 HR every 11 innings.
a. Greinke is the prototype RHSP and he is giving up 1 HR every 11 innings.
b. Need a lefty starter that is good vs LHP and with few HR's vs RHP.
3. Need at least one inexpensive and one expensive LHRP
a. Expensive LHRP could be Sipp, inexpensive is a good 6L-9L lefty who has almost no OBP chances against lefties.
b. Forces the opponents platoon to kick in; now, you have all righties, so little PH is needed by the opponent.
4. Need a innings workhorse with few HR's and is a righty who is 1L-3L and only need 4 relievers.
a. Innings workhorse RHRP 1L-3L, Sipp, LHRP situational vs lefties, keep one of your RHRP's.
a. Boxberger is a little too scary, especially in the 18 HR parks in your division.
5. Players to look at: any switch or lefty hitter with a lot of ballpark HR's vs RHP - you only have 12 teams so there should be a good selection to pick from.
a. Believe it or not, I have good luck with Rollins SS2 e8 and in a division like yours, he would hit 30 HR's.
b. Walters, Figgins, Chisenhall for 3B as a platoon ( doubt if Walters is available )
c. Gennett and A. Blanco for 2B as a platoon

Meant 1 HR every 7 innings for Greinke and to add Eric Chavez for possible 3B.